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J 0. FOWLER. CONVERTIBLE TAB LE, BED, AND SETTLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, I918- Patented July 1, 1919.

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JONATHAN O. FO'Will-E18,, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE, BED, AND SETTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1919.

AppIioation filed November 12, 1918: Serial No. 262,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN O. FowLnR, a citizen of the United States of. America, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Convertible Table,

Bed, and Settle, of which the'followingis a specification, the same being a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to furniture devices such as are convertible for the purpose of serving :for different functions in apartments where a small amount of house room is available, or where it is necessary or desirable to economize in the cost of house furnishing, and particularly to a structure that may be used at will as a library table, or as a folding bed having a thin detachable mattress, the said article being constructed and arranged to provide a table completein itself (with or without the combination therewith of the bed) and serviceable inuse as such, and also to afford at will a comfortable bed. i

The said device is also so arranged that it will form a settle over which may be spread (with or without the use of the detachable mattress) a coverlet, rug ordrapery, together with sofa cushions. if desired, so as to be adapted to be utilized as a window seat, etc, when not'r'equired for use as a bed, or as a table. 1

The inventionhas for its object to simplify the construction of such apiece of furniture, to render it readily convertible, and to adapt it more completely to its several uses, and also to provide certain details and features of construction to increase the efficiency and desirability of the, same.

To attain the said desired and other ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and operation of parts hereinafter more fully set forth andshown in the drawings, illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, which accompany and form apart of this specification, and inwhich.-

Figure 1 represents an elevation partly in section of my invention open and ready for use as a bed, with superimposed mattress;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the sec tions of the bed frame when in horizontal position;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the top or body of the table with bed and mattress in a closed relation;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in detail of a link between bed sections and adjacent connectionsg being respectively front and side views thereof;

Fig. 8 is asectional view on a larger scale pf the construction of an extensible table eg; i p

Fig.6 is a perspective view in detail of the adjustable device used in the same;

Fig. 9 is a sectionalview of another style of extensible table leg in which the invention is embodied; and Fig. 10 is a View in elevation showing how thelegs may be shortened to bring the bodyof the table nearer the floor to form a settle.

Like numerals of reference indicate like par-tsin all the views. w i Referring particularly to the drawi11gs,@1 denotes the body of a table comprising a Figs. 6 and-7 are detail vieWs of the hinge,

rear wall and side walls connected toand extending at rightangles therefrom thereby leaving the front of the table openwhich hasa hinged cover or top 2, a folding front 8 hinged to the top, and an open bottom portion the lower edge of which is designated by the numeral 35. The cover or top 2 rests on the table frame or body and is supported by the interior portion of the said body walls of the table, and is attached to the same at the upper rear portion thereof in a movable relation by means of a hinge, one leaf member 4 thereof being fastened to the interior wall of the chamber of the table body and the other leaf member 5 being attached to the top 2, the two members be ing pivoted together by the pintle 22.

The member 4: is formed witha rounding top portion on which the concave part of the member 5 will ride when the cover or top is raised to a vertical position, undue forward movement of the latter being limited by the stop 21. When in this vertical position the hinged front 3 will automatically fold over in front of the said top.

By reason of thepintle 22 being eccen trically disposed, when the concaved member 5 rides upon the upperrounding portion of the member i the top 2 becomes lifted gradually and is also moved rearward in order to clear the backof the frame of the table body, so that when the top 2 is in a 5 vertical position it will stand at some distance away from the exterior of the said back. Upon the top 2 being closed down again, after the bed sections have been folded within the body of the table, it will move forward and downwardly as the member 5 rides forwardly onthe member 4 so as to bring the front 3 in proper position to close the open front of the table and to so present the latter as a complete article of furniture in itself.

Upon the cover being raised, and the parts being in the open posit-ion described, the transversely folding bed frame and the thin flexible mattress 11 may be unfolded from the interio of the'table body, the saidsectional bed frame being preferably made of horiZontal U-shape or other metallic bars having a flat, rounding or other broad upper face, and comprising (1) an inner relativelystationary or fixed frame section 6 forming the head of the bed which is attached to and lies right side up and L horizontal within the table body and at the open bottom thereof, (2) links'7, (3) a middle frame section 8, which lies outside the body when the bedis UDfOldGCLff) links 9, and

(-5) an outer frame section 10 constituting the foot of the bed frame. The end walls of the table body extend only to'the joint between the head and middle sections of the bed frame.

y A mattress supporting spring 1:2 may be carried by the 'saidbed frame as indicated inthe drawings. The said links 7 and 9 may support plates 18 in which brace-bars 14, to support and hol'd the'bed frame in proper and operative position, may be pivoted, the said brace-bars preferably having central depending portions to allow the spring and mattress to yield somewhat owing to the weight of the person occupying the bed. The outer edges of the said bracebars carried by thelinks 9 may be encircled by the upper portion of legs 15, the said being supported entirely by and horizontally above the head section and disposed between the intermediate section and the head end section) the folding legs "15 cooperating with said body to support the bed frame, when open, at a height which will be suflicient'for a bed of ordinary height. The mattress 11 is of a thickness to fold readily with the legs of the frame, the whole forming, when folded, a concealed rectangular bundle or flattened roll, the sides of the bed forming the ends of the roll so that the length is that of the width of the bed and its width is that of the length of the bed. The middle section 8 of the bed serves to permit the use of the same as a seat for entering and leaving the bed.

The parts are preferably so arranged that the legs 15 fold toward the table, while the adjacent brace-bar 14 folds away from the table, and undue movement of the said legs is prevented by a stop 18, and undue movement of the brace-bar is prevented by the stop 17. When both the brace-bar and the legs are in one plane or lie approximate to one plane they may be automatically and securely held in the said operative position by a locking device carried by the legs as the spring catch 16 which may then rest in a slot formed in the top of the brace-bar.

The inner brace-bar 1 1 located on the foldable portion of the bed frame servesto connect the sides thereof and therebybold the'front ends ofsaid walls a fixed distance apart, said bar being disposedoutside of .thetable body while the bed frame is unfolded and innnediately inside of'the front wall of said body when the table is closed. The said bar also serves to connect the free ends of the side walls of the table body together to prevent spreading thereof.

At the extreme end of the bed'frame, legs 19 are positioned whiclrmay be connected by stays :28. These legs are pivoted to the outer bed frame section 10 and when in vertical position are braced against accidental folding movement by brace-links 20 which are formed with loclring slots in which pins projecting from'the frame work as is clearly shown in the drawings.

In order to provide a good and serviceable bed, it is desirable that the mattress ofthe same shall be at a height from the floor approximately equal to that of the seat of a chair so that a person may easily sit on the edge of the same when desired. The body portion of a library table. on the other hand, in order to be convenient for use. should be at such a height from the floor as to allow the knees of a person sitting by the same to pass freely under the said body. which latter height is several inches greater than that of the seat of the ordinary chair.

These two opposing requirements Ireconcile by making the legs of the table adjustable in length so that when the device is used as a bed the legs of the table may be so shortened, and the table body consequently lowered, that the mattress will-be approximately the same distance from the floor as is that of an ordinarybed; and when the article is utilized as a library table the legs of the latter may be increased in length,

and the body of the table consequently raised, sufiiciently to allow the knees of a person using the table to. pass under the body of the same as is necessary when the table is to be used for reading or writing purposes.

The table legs 24, as illustrated in Fig. 8, may be and are preferably made with a vertical bore in which a rod 26 works carrying a ball caster at the lower end thereof. The upper extremity of the rod 26 is formed with an open transverse but longitudinally extending slot 27 and it also has a lower closed slot 28. Pins 29 inserted through the leg and working in the said slots serve to prevent any rotary motion of the bar 26. An adjustable stop device 30has a wide but thin body portion and a flange 31 and button 33, and is inserted through thebottom edge 35 of the table and a recess and slot 27 in the top of the leg and is held in position by a plate 32 resting on the said edge.

When the side portion of the element 30 is in the position shown in Fig. 8 it lies across the transverse slot 27 and prevents the rod 26 of the table leg from being raised. When, however, the stop 30 is turned so that the thin part thereof registers with the slot 27, as is indicated by dotted lines in said figure, the rod 26 may be raised and the length of the table legshortened, and the body of the table consequently lowered-the rod 26 being telescoped in the table leg 21 as is shown in the drawings. A spring 34: engaged with the button 33 may serve to hold the stop 30 in its adjusted position.

In Fig. 9 the upper part of the rod 26 is threaded and is engaged with the internally threaded adjusting device 36 which rests on the bottom table edge 35 and enters the leg 24: and is prevented from having any movement in a vertical direction by a pin 38 inserted in the table leg and working in a horizontal groove 37 formed in the periphery of the element 36. By rotating the ad justing device 36 the bar or rod 26 may be raised and lowered, and the table leg consequently made longer or shorter, and the edge 35 of the table body raised or lowered at will.

It should be noted that when the invention is arranged so as to be employed horizontally as a bed, by which term I mean the ordinary flat bed or couch, the legs 15 and 19 are of the same length as those of the shortened table legs 24. Consequently, when the device is in condition to be used as a table and the legs 24 are increased in length su'liiciently for that purpose and the body of the table raised, the said article is likewise adapted to be utilized as aspecial couch or bed for the reason that in such caseif the sections 'Zl0 of the bed frame were to be ment with the section 6 on account of the diflerence in length of the legs QA- and 15 and 19, in which event the bedframe would assume for certain purposes an inclined relation. Therefore the invention, when adjusted and adapted to be used as a table, cannot be utilized as the hereinbefore. described horizontally disposed ordinary bed without manipulating the device and changing the position (or height from; the floor) of the preferably oblong and rectangular body of the table, which is narrow in width and of relatively much greater length.

Theinclined bed is adapted to be usedby persons suffering from certain diseases as those who have to sleep lying propped up in bed, those having asthma or brain trouble, as well as any others who find it necessary that the upper portion of the body should be relieved from undue pressure of the blood.

It sometimes happens, however, that persons having a small apartment have no use nor room for a library table, but desire rather to have a couch or settle that may be converted into a bed at will. This result I accomplish by shortenin the legs of the table so that the top of the body portion thereof will be approximately the height of an ordinary chair or settle in the manner already described where the talble leg sections are telescopically arranged. Or if preferred the table legs may be formed with separate sections or 1mm ers, as the upper member 24 and the lower section 39 in Fig. 10. By this plan the lower member 39 may be detached and taken entirely away in order to make the leg shorter so that the bottom of the upper section 24 will stand in a plane indicated by the dotted line which indicates the floor level, the bottom edge 35 of the table body being thereby lowered from the position it would be in, or occupy, when the device is adjusted so as to serve as a library table, and the legs 24 being at a height from the floor equal to that of the legs'15 and 19 when the bed frame is unfold ed in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

By the use of the invention as a settle made as described hereinwhich may be overlaid with a pretty coverlet, cushions, etc.-not only will it form a convenient, sightly and ornamental article of furniture for day use, but it will also provide a wider and more comfortable bed than can be attained with the use of an ordinary couch or sofa bed, the said settle constituting a complete article of furniture in itself as it may be used with or without the bed frame, in which latter case, the compartment or chamber thus provided may be utilized for storage purposes in the manner used in devices of this description.

It is to be noted that the adjustment of the duplex legs of my new article of furniture is not for the purpose of supporting the said structure at differentheights from the fioor as an entirety, but that the said adjustment means is provided with the object of changing at Will the relative height of different portions of the structure, in order to adapt them to serve for different uses. For example, by extending-thesaid fixed legs when desired, in the lines of their axes, so as to begreater in length than the folding ones, which are of a constant length, the bed, when the sections thereof are unfolded, may constitute an inclined bed, or by adjusting thefixed legs so as to be of the samelength as; the folding ones, a prae tically'horizontal bed may be provided. In addition to this, it is manifest that if the fixed and folding legs were to be of a uniform length, when the bed was folded up in the table, the structure would either betoo low to be used comfortably as a library table; or when the bed was unfolded from the table, the article of furniture would be tooliighzto be used comfortably as a bed. The relative adjustment in height of the differentportions of my structure-as distinguishecbfrom the raising or'lowering of the same as an.entirety-.is-therefore necessary forthe-purposes of the diiferentuses of the same.

I wish'it to beeunderstood that -I-do not desireto belimited'to the particular use or theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to personsskilledin the art.

What I claim as: my invention is 1. In an article of furniture, abed frame consisting of threesections hinged together, each section having legs of-the same length. adapted to support thebed frame in asingle horizontal plane, and means to increase'the length ofthe legs-of-the inner'bed section Without-changing the other ones, :thereby bending thehinges at each end of the inter-- mediate section of the unfolded bed and causing the inner section to lie parallel with but in a'planehigherthan that of the outer one, and the intermediate sectionto assume an inclined relation'between and intersecting the=two said planes to constitute an inclined-bed frame.

2. In an article of furniture, a table comprising a structure made with inclosing portions to form a compartment, a folding bed frame comprising hingecl sections and having one section fixed to the lower part of thesaidcompartment, a set of-folding legs for the folding bed frame of a I constant length, a: set of legs for 2 the table comprising (outer portions attached to the table structure and respectively movable inner 3. In an article of furniture, a table comprising a structure made with inclosing portions to form a compartment, a folding bed frame comprising hinged sections and having one section fixed to the lower part of the said compartment, a set of folding legs for the foldingbed frame of a constant length, a set of legs for the table, devices for adjusting the relative height of the various sections of .the bed frame and of the two said sets of legs comprising means located withinith-e structure for altering the length of the table legs in the lines of their axes so that'theyunay be either greater in length than'the bed frame folding-legs to hold part of the bed frame, when unfolded, in an inclined position, or so that they may be of-the same=length as the legs of the bed frame to hold the latter, when unfolded, in a horizontal 1 relation.

4. In an article of furniture, a bed-frame having supporting legs and consisting of three sectionshinged together, the legs of the inner section being extensible and provided with adjusting devices, self acting means to hold the latter in adjusted position so that the said inner legs shall be greater in length than those of the intermediate and outer sections and adapted to support. part of the bed frame in an inclined relatioin-said adjusting devices also serving to allowthelength of the legs-ofi'the inner section to be decreased without changing the outer.ones,'thereby bending the hinges at each end of the inclined intermediate section of the unfolded bed and causing the inner section to lie inthe plane of the outer and intermediate sections to constitute a horizontal bed frame.

In testimony of. the foregoing speci fica tion I do hereby sign the same in the city of New York, county and State of New York this 26th day of October, 1918.

JONATHAN O. FOWLER.

lVitnesses V. BERTSCHE, FRANCES KRAMER.

Copies of this patent may be ,obtainedtfor five cents each,-by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

